Create a network that helps you understand your own tasks better.
Collaborate across teams.
Strong work relationships matter just as much as getting things done. When you learn what your coworkers do and why their work is important, you build a support network that helps you with your own tasks. You can make real connections through small moments, like chatting for a few seconds before a meeting or sending a quick, friendly message. Don’t worry about feeling awkward when you reach out. If you keep to yourself, it can be harder to get help when you need it.
Building professional relationships helps you improve your networking. As you advance in your career, your success will depend on how well you work with different teams and connect with people at all levels.
Helping your teammates is another simple way to build strong relationships. If you have extra time, offer to help with a project or share an article that could be useful. When you care about the group’s success, you build social capital. Later, if you need a favor or a quick answer, people will be more willing to help you. Try not to complain to coworkers about your workload, as it can make you seem difficult rather than helpful.
Put these approaches into practice.
Let’s look at practical ways to build social capital, which comes from trust, respect, and positive daily interactions.
“I used to sit silently in the conference room waiting for the project lead to arrive, staring intently at my laptop to look 'busy.' One day, I asked the developer sitting next to me what she was working on. That 30-second chat turned into a weekly rhythm. When our software crashed a month later, she answered my urgent message instantly because I wasn't just an anonymous email address to her anymore.”
DON’T let the fear of a brief awkward moment cause you to sit in silence before a meeting starts or log onto an internal call like a ghost.
DO use the 30 seconds before a meeting kicks off to initiate low-pressure micro-interactions, turning distant colleagues into accessible allies.
“I used to get annoyed when the marketing team asked for my data sheets a day early. Instead of complaining, I asked their coordinator to walk me through their formatting pipeline. Seeing how my data fed into their visual templates made me realize my work directly impacted their launch timing. Learning their context helped me produce cleaner, more targeted work.”
DON’T work in a bubble where you only care about your immediate task list, ignoring what your coworkers do or why their workflows matter.
DO take the time to actively learn about your colleagues' roles, building a comprehensive support network that helps you understand your own work better.
“I noticed a peer drowning under data entry while my own queue was light. I reached out and took an hour's worth of formatting off his plate. Two months later, I ran into a massive technical bottleneck on a Friday afternoon. He dropped what he was doing to help me debug it because I had proven earlier that I cared about his success, too.”
DON’T wait until you desperately need a favor, an explanation, or a deadline extension before you decide to engage with a teammate.
DO build social capital during low-stakes periods by offering a hand on a project when you have extra bandwidth or sharing an insightful industry article.
“Early on, I thought venting to my cubicle neighbor about our unrealistic targets was just a harmless way to bond. I didn't realize it made me look like an energy drain. During a performance review, my manager gently noted that peers found me pessimistic. I immediately shifted my approach to focus on solutions rather than gripes, and my relationships became much more strategic.”
DON’T use casual interactions with your peers to complain about your heavy workload, stressful deadlines, or management decisions.
DO protect your professional reputation by keeping peer communications solution-oriented, ensuring you’re not labeled as a difficult or negative teammate.
“I was an entry-level analyst, but I made it a point to send quick, polite congratulatory notes to the sales team when they closed big accounts. That lateral visibility completely changed my trajectory. When leadership looked for someone to spearhead a new cross-departmental task force, my name came up because I was already a trusted bridge between the two rooms.”
DON’T limit your relationship-building exclusively to your immediate team, assuming you don't need to interact across different tiers or departments.
DO cultivate collaboration skills by connecting with people across all levels, proving you have the maturity to influence stakeholders beyond your direct orbit.
What’s one micro-interaction you can have to learn more about a teammate’s role?
Integrate these professional strategies into your workflow—whether you’re refining your own work or mentoring your team or clients.